Sam Rockwell has lived in New York for some 20 years — only you probably wouldn’t know it: He tends to fly under the radar. “You can get away with a lot with facial hair,” the actor says.
The East Village resident, 44, has appeared in a string of indie film faves, including this summer’s “The Way Way Back,” as well as blockbusters such as “Iron Man 2.” His latest, Friday’s “A Single Shot,” is about a hunter (Rockwell) who accidentally shoots a woman in the woods and finds a briefcase full of money; trouble soon follows. This is his New York.
1. Momofuku Noodle Bar, 171 First Ave., between 10th and 11th streets
“It’s hard to get into, depending on what time you go — I go in the middle of the day, when it’s not crowded. I get the chicken ramen. It’s just really good, tasty food. I’m sure there are other noodle places [in the city], but I really like Momofuku.”
2. Fusion Physical Therapy and Sports Wellness, 407 W. 13th St., at Ninth Avenue
“I’ve done every [type of workout] you can imagine, from boxing to SoulCycle to yoga. I’ve been getting physical therapy — I have a tennis elbow from boxing. My trainer has me on this thing called the Jacob’s Ladder. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done on a machine — cardio and strength-wise, it’s comparable to swimming or basketball. It’s intense. It kicks any spinning class’ ass.”
3. Mendez Boxing, 23 E. 26th St., between Broadway and Fifth Avenue
“I’ve been boxing on and off for 15 years. I would never call myself a boxer. I’m just a sissy actor, but I’m kind of obsessed with the ritual — the jumping rope and the shadowboxing. I have sparred with people, but you don’t want someone taking your head off. People aren’t afraid to hit me. I’ve gotten two bruised ribs. I’ll mix in with guys who know what they’re doing, though. They won’t try to kill me.”
4. Harry’s Burritos, formerly 76 W. Third St., between LaGuardia Place and Thompson Street
“I did all kinds of s- -t [as a young actor]. I bussed tables, bar backed. I delivered burritos on a bicycle for Harry’s. It was all right. It didn’t pay that much, and I’d get hit by cab doors in the rain. But I could sit and read scripts and eat burritos. I delivered to a lot of stoned NYU students. One time, these two girls invited me in and they pointed to the TV set, and there was a white Bronco, and they said, ‘Come on! Look, O.J. [Simpson] is fleeing!’ So I watched O.J. fleeing with these two girls.”
5. Village Farm Grocery, 146 Second Ave., at Ninth Street
“I don’t really shop for clothes. The store I like is this deli. It’s got lots of stuff you wouldn’t find normally. They have pretty much everything you need — Yorkshire tea and all these candies from London.”
6. Mercadito, 179 Avenue B, between 11th and 12th streets
“They have good tacos and good hot sauces and three different kinds of guacamoles. I like to drink a spicy margarita. I like the chicken mole taco. [It’s all] pretty authentic.”
7. ABC Beer Co., 96 Avenue C, at Sixth Street
“I’m a big beer snob, and this place is good. I like beer like IPAs, porters and stouts. I like strange beers. No Budweiser. No. Nooo. Maybe a wheat beer, but no Budweiser. I don’t even like Corona. I like a Negro Modelo sometimes. I like to check out the double IPAs.”
8. The Beagle, 162 Avenue A, at 11th Street
“This is my place for drinks. The owner knows a lot about good cocktails and how to make them. They have some odd bourbons. Bourbon is becoming like beer and wine — a bit of an art form. I like straight bourbon on the rocks. I like Corner Creek a lot. It’s kind of smoky, you know? They [also] have a gin cocktail that’s a variation on a Prohibition-era drink called the Aviation. Theirs is called the Aircraft Carrier, and it’s got Navy-strength gin. It’s lethal.”